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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Fernando Mendoza, the only social media site that he's on, is LinkedIn. He basically told the Raiders, you're on the clock for me. Earlier on the show, Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner.
Coming up. Host of Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio. Broadcasting legend, Bob Costas. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number two, the Rich Eisen Show is on the air.
For those who are watching on Disney Plus and the ESPN app, you could see from my Rich Eisen Show mug the steam coming out. Fresh new cup of coffee, which I was able to squeak out from the very small remaining amount of water. It was kind of like Kramer taking a test drive on the car. You know, very close, you know. Interesting.
Very, very close. But I did fill up. Yeah. the machine with uh water for those coming after me. I saw him do it.
Thank you. Who else is? I don't know, man. There's some people around here. I haven't used it.
I don't want to go full-on festivus here. Who else is a lot of problems? I almost didn't get my cup of coffee in the commercial breaks. Who are you finger of blaming right now? I don't know.
Damn fine.
Somebody's gotten myself. Oh, is that a kind of McLaughlin drop right there? Did you really do that? Yeah, that's a felly. I still had his bite to be.
I like it. He's all excited. His Seahawks are playing in the NFC Championship game, but I'll have a damn fine cup of coffee I have here, which I'm very happy. Damn fine.
Thank you. And hot. It is. Look at that. We have a new drop every time we get a cup of coffee now.
I kind of dig it. I like it. All right. There. We spent hour one talking about not just Kurt Warner, with Kurt Warner, but about the press conference.
that uh happened in uh western New York. With Terry Pagula, you know, everyone's talking about how wild it was. I'm still reading some of these quotes, and they're just bananas. The craziest one, I don't know if you've seen this yet. He referred to Sean McDermott as Iceland four times.
Wow. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial. Let's go to Jared and Rochester. Rochester, New York. What's up, Jared?
Hey, Rich. How are you doing, guys? How are you? What's up, man? Good, good.
So I got a couple points to make about the bill situation. Number one, I think Terry Pagula is making a complete fool out of himself and the organization. Hiring the guy that did all he could with the roster, he was given by the guy that they're promoting. And the whole thing with Keon Coleman saying how McDermott and the coaching staff wanted him, that's gotta be a lie. I mean, there was a video draft night where Bean was on board with Keon as well.
And the second thing I'll say is He's making a mess of the Bills, but guess what? He's made a mess of the Sabres for the last 15 years. Still haven't made the playoffs. Damn. That's where I stand with it.
Damn. Jared and Rochester, you're pissed, huh? Rack him. I mean, I'm a Buffalo sports fan. How can you not be pissed at something?
Well, I mean, listen. Yeah. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I'll just say it to you. Jared, there's about. What would you say?
Two thirds, maybe three quarters? of NFL fan bases That would love to be in your position. Year in and year. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I believe it, but it's just the pain that.
That we suffer after a while with all these heartbreaking losses and then the Sabres just not fielding together a good team for 15 years. I mean, they're getting better now, but still, even that.
Well, combine how about combining your hockey team's futility with your football team's futility and choosing Sam Darnold instead of Josh Allen only to watch him potentially take on the Patriots to win the Super Bowl.
So, how about that? Put that in your Jets fan pipe and potentially smoke it. I know that's not helpful to you, Jared, but I understand. I understand. Just I let me put it this way.
Um And I'll pull the room here. Um Hmm. Bill's, what's more likely? Bills get this coaching hire right or they don't. Uh they don't.
Oh, really? I mean, what's right? Like, the only right way is they got to win a Super Bowl, right?
Well, no, the right way is that Josh Allen's unlocked to the point where they make the Super Bowl. And I guess the reason why they haven't made the Super Bowl is. things somewhat out of the coach's control. Every year, a quarter to 30% of the league changes coaches. Often, teams get this wrong repeatedly.
Yeah, like you hung up on him? No, he hung up. You know, the Belichicks and the Harbaughs and Coughlin, what other coaches have been around for a long time? I guess Sean McVay is one of the longest tenured. Andy Reids, those are the outliers.
The norm in the NFL is every three to four seasons, your team has a new coach. Yeah. I I keep returning to what Tom Pellisero told us. two weeks ago that somebody once upon a time told him That Owners watch what other owners do. And other owners like Pagula saw Bashadi partways with Harbaugh after 18 years.
No doubt. The Rooney were willing to give Toma the 20th year. but Tonamond decided now's the time also. And Pagula's like, as I said, You got somebody like Ben Johnson coming in. Bringing the bears to new heights, that potentially you have somebody else bringing the bills to new heights.
And again, I apologize because I'm now once again referencing somebody not by name, but by me seeing. This person on a podcast co-hosted by Ceciliano, our buddy Ceciliano. Talking about Jessica Pagula, the sixth-ranked tennis player in the world, changing her coach. Because she wanted to get over the hump and get further in her career than she's already gotten, despite her being highly successful with her coach. Hired a new coach and made the U.S.
open. Final. And I'm wondering if the Pagulas are just like Look what happened to Jessica. And then you hear Pagula today, and he did sound highly emotional in charge. He's still pissed about the catch that he's referring to it.
When I first heard the soundbite played for us before the. The show Um Pagula referring to all the issues that have happened in the playoffs with the Bills. Um For 13 seconds, we know what that is against the Chiefs. Tyler Bass missed a kick against the Chiefs. None of those things well, I mean, the 13 seconds you could lay at the feet of of McDermott, yay, nay, yes, yes.
Okay. And then he refers to the catch. I'm like.
Okay. When did Montana and Dwight Clark connect? What's the catch? We we know what the catch is now. Yeah.
It's this on the screen. Has a Bills fan called into the show and said this was properly Called and officiated. I don't know, maybe in a week they will. I mean, they're probably still emotionally charged up about it. I don't know.
You've seen several angles. It's clear as day, it's not a catch. I mean, Joe Burrow even said it, and he has zero skin in the game. Correct. 844-204-Rich.
Number to Donald. Aiden in New Jersey. You're here on the Rich His and Show. What's up, Aiden? People.
Hey, Rich, how are you doing? We're in Jersey. Yeah, what exit? I'm actually in West Milford. Oh, my sister's there.
Hey! That's a sister. Say hi to his sister for him. Hey. What's your sister's name, Mike?
Lucille. Lucille? Yeah. What's her last name? Davie.
Okay, if you see Lucille Davy, Aiden. Tell her Mikey D said. I'll make sure. I'll make sure. That'll be a great moment for all of us.
So I'm actually probably one of the only Charger fans in New Jersey. And um I wanted to call And I ask you guys if So, like, we haven't officially got Mike McDaniel, but it's basically official. If we keep Jesse Minter. Do you think that we could be a Super Bowl team next year? I'll see Joe Waltz later.
Um and that defense. Aiden in New Jersey. Saying I'm one of the only Charger fans in New Jersey. I think that's a very bold claim that's not so bold, I would have to say. Uh Aiden, if you are so lucky.
to have Six remaining National Football League teams interview Jesse Minter and say no thanks. If you wind up being that fortunate, and wind up with Mike McDaniel as your offensive coordinator. And you get Alt back healthy, Slater back healthy, O'Mari and Hampton fully charged. And the The front office with Joe Hortiz. and Harbaugh in the draft room nailing more draft choices.
100% you got to sit there and think you got a shot. at playing in SoFi.
Next year, like the Rams did, and win a Super Bowl in that building. No doubt about it. No doubt in my mind. I think not only is Herbert the big winner for this, but I think Hampton is also the big winner because McDaniel runs that zone run and not the power run, so he'll get a lot of pass volume. And I think that this team is just if if we can stay healthy, which I mean, I say if every year, but we can stay healthy, I think.
Listen. Thanks for the call. Aiden in New Jersey. I heard the news yesterday. And I thought to myself.
If the, I guess, because Mike McDaniel is still in the running for the Ravens and the Raiders' head coaching job. And if the Ravens or the Raiders hire him, clearly he'll take those jobs. But if I guess he's already pulled his name out of consideration for the Cleveland head coaching job. And Has apparently informed anybody else that's trying to hire him as an offensive coordinator, no thanks. And he's chosen the Chargers as that spot.
First of all, I would say to Mike McDaniel, wise choice. Wise choice. Certainly, for a guy who is no longer the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, in a way. because of the inability to succeed Unlocked.
However, you want to put it. We've The guy who was chosen by the Dolphins famously before Justin Herbert. And for him to basically Move to a division that is a deep end of the pool. But To join a team and a franchise that has got the ability. to put into play to put into existence His axes and o's melded with a guy Who's all about running the football?
Now, I understand, McDaniel. And what happened with Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddell, and the passing game is something that we all focus on because of how big play it is. Take the top off or whatever. But it all is about the run game at its. very start.
with Mike McDaniel. And now he's the run game coordinator for what? For San Francisco, right? Like, that's what he, the way that he and San Francisco scheme things up. You know, gives a running back An extra degree of an angle towards a hole created by an offensive line that is very tough for people to defend.
In the Construct of a Jim Harbaugh world? I heard that, I'm like, holy crap. And the Folks here in Los Angeles, the Chargers fans here, complaining about the lack of creativity.
Well, that's going to go out the window as well. That's coming to town. With Mike McDaniel. I thought that is. Also, one of the greatest pairings that I think the rest of the world needs to see is Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel.
together. And I thought to myself, can Lululemon make a capri khaki? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? Like, it's can we do that?
Can Jim. maybe change his eyewear for McDaniels. Can we meld these two minds and styles together? You're saying is Jim going to start showing ankle? I don't know.
I just think there's a lot of possibilities here. I also think they should go and pitch a sitcom about town. We've even created a graphic for it. There it is, the odd couple. Bring it back.
Jim is Oscar. And McDaniel is Felix. Sure. I think That's it, and the Chargers logo on the hat. This is the family.
It's fantastic. These two guys, how are they going to. coexist or get along? And I will just give you this answer. Because Um McDaniel Loves ball, man.
Oh, yeah. He loves ball. And Jim loves ball. And they love talking ball. And I asked Jim Harbaugh when getting ready for the charge.
I'm done asking. you know, special secret sauce questions of him. Um The last one I asked him was just a few weeks ago, and I'm like, you know, what, what. What do you love so much? you know about Coaching.
And and what's what's Helps you succeed. And he basically said, I love football. And football loves me. And I love people who love football. And people who love football love me.
And I think that's the common denominator. They love ball. They love talking ball. They love running ball. They love hitting people while running ball.
And and McDaniel Coming here and coaching up Harbaugh, coaching up. Hu uh Herbert. with Harbaugh, for Harbaugh. If everybody stays healthy. And the defense comes, and our caller just said: if Jesse Minter stays, I don't think that's going to happen.
But if it does, You got your coordinators, you got Jim, you got Justin Herbert with this offense. Sky is the limit, man. Ballin. Yeah. Yeah.
The odd couple. I'd be screwed. Joyce pressed couple.
So it would go like this ritual. No, no, no. I got it. Leave it to me. We got it all prepped.
Don't you worry. Leave it to me. I got you. I mean. But this is all.
Coming to Los Angeles, it seems, unless the Raiders step in and just hire him. And hook him up to Fernando Mendoza. Fernando. And then we make silver and black Capriz. Yeah, that sounds pretty fun.
Because clearly, this is also. I understand he's not in HC now if he takes this job. He'd be one, two seasons away from just getting a call again. For sure. Don't you think?
If it all works out here, like this is a very smart move for somebody also maybe wants to stay in the nice warm weather. Yeah, because he doesn't want to cover his ankles up.
So he definitely wants to cover. What? Mendoza Genti Bowers. That's a good combo. That's not a bad combo as well.
To kind of start, you know, your brain. How about Lamarzay and Derrick Henry? Also, not bad. But you've got to wear socks. You've got to wear socks.
Probably have to heavy jackets in the winter. Sure. Yeah. Eat crab cakes. And the question about does your.
Uh scheme work in the cold weather. Right. With Derrick Henry and Patrick Ricard, it would. I'm guessing Henry won't get two second-half carries. And I imagine there also wouldn't be a wide receiver saying, we need a fullback, causing the head coach to go to the podium and go, we already have a fullback, and the wide receiver knows that, which is what Mike McDaniel had to do in his Miami existence.
I kind of dig this combination.
So Come out to the coast. We'll get together. I'm going to put that up as a poll question.
Well, you'll have a few laughs with Mike McDaniel, that's for sure. I'm going to put this up as a poll question. Which is what? If you're Mike McDaniel, what do you do? Raiders, Ravens, Chargers, OC.
Okay. Let us know at Rich Eisen Show. We haven't done a poll question in a while.
Well, it wouldn't be the OC, that's for sure.
Well, he'd be the OC here. I'm saying he'd probably want one of the HC jobs. But if you're him, what would you do? I'm going to go be the head ball coach. And the Baltimore Ravens.
I would choose that. Or you look at the Steelers, you know you're going to have some longevity there. I don't know if he's up for that gig. Oh, that's true. I think he's up for everything.
He pulled out of the Cleveland job, and apparently Tampa really wanted him as the OC. Why not? Why not? And interesting, he doesn't take the Tampa OC job because two of the three you know, predecessors His immediate predecessor just got bounced, but the two previous ones got head coaching jobs in Liam Cohn and Dave Canalis.
So that's a, you wanna, if you're gonna take an OC job, you wanna one that you know, as a pathway to being in HC, and I think here it would be 100% that. Yeah. And he gets to coach up Justin Herbert. and help Jim take him to the Hall of Fame? Which, as you know, is the goal, the stated goal.
All right, we'll take a break. Let's be on time for Mike Florio, even though I wasn't. I think I did book him for the top of the hour, and he chimed in. And he's kind enough to join us again in two minutes. Don't go anywhere.
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Back here on the Rich Eisen Show, 844204 Rich Number Dahl. Back here on the program, our friend from Pro Football Talk and Peacock and NBC PFT Live with Mike Florio Podcast as well. Mike Florio, good to see you. Mike, how are you? I'm doing great.
I'm doing great. You needed the music. The read was awesome. You needed the music. And I can envision season two, episode three, Jim and Mike mix up their glasses.
Because if you haven't noticed, the prescription between the two is very different. It's very different. I know. I thought that Jim should start wearing Mike's glasses. And or Lululemon needs to make a Capri khaki.
You know what I mean? Like show off some ankle. You know what I mean? Possibilities are limitless. They are limitless.
Seven seasons at least. I am thrilled to have you on this program. Mike, I want to give you the flora on Terry Pagula's press conference today and how that hits you.
Well, number one, it was way too long, which is excellent for our business. I think I have a list of maybe 10, 12 different PFT posts that either have gone up or will go up as a result of the things that were said during that rollicking. Like, you usually hear time for two more very quickly at a press conference like that. They went on and on and on. And I mean It's in the eye of the beholder.
I've been arguing with some people whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. I think the prevailing view is. All told, I I I don't think it was a great Session. And it raises more questions than it answers. I think the idea of a press conference is you want to resolve questions.
I don't think it resolved many questions. And I give the folks their credit. A lot of times we see the. the reporters that cover a team tiptoe around because you worry about access and relationships. They asked all the right questions.
They did their duty on behalf of the fans who want to know how the hell we got to this point.
Well I think the question that got answered emphatically, Mike, is that Terry Pagula clearly. trusts Brandon Bean. implicitly. And also trusts him to move this franchise forward to a Super Bowl way more. Then he trusted Sean McDermott to do it.
and um and even spilled some tea. That Keon Coleman might have to clean up with his play in year three for whoever. The new head coaches, I mean. And leading to the questions that you mentioned about not being answered, it led to other questions being asked, like, Like, who are the draft choices that are yours and yours alone, Brandon? Right?
Like, those are the ones. He was doing what he thought was the right thing in caping for the guy that he elevated. Um but it did lead to more questions on that front. Yeah. The overriding question that was hovering over the Bills weeks before, if not years before, the firing of Sean McDermott is whether or not the failure of the team to get to a Super Bowl is a result of talent.
a result of coaching. The firing of Sean McDermott, coupled with the promotion of Brandon Bean, tells us that Terry Pagula resolved that issue in favor of saying it's a Coaching problem, not a talent problem. But then we get this mix in there that some of the talent. was the fault of the coaching staff because the coaching staff wanted this guy, and Brandon Bean was a team player and didn't push back. And I take a step back generally, and I'm not saying Brandon Bean should have been fired.
I'm saying that the properly functioning football operations have the coach and the GM joined at the hip. And if it works. Everybody benefits. And if it doesn't, Everybody's accountable because I think we learned today it's virtually impossible to make a clear and reliable decision as to who's to blame when you have one of these situations where you keep knocking on the door, but you can't kick it open. Seven straight playoff appearances.
Terry Pagula rattled off the. The seeds for the last seven years, and nobody knew he was talking about. He starts spitting out numbers like it's Powerball night. And like, what do you need? Those are the seeds for the last seven years, but they've never been the one seed.
And they never got into the Super Bowl. And so it's the coach's fault. And that puts enormous pressure on the next coach. They tried to say there's no pressure. They're getting calls about the job.
Yeah, you're always going to get calls about an open NFL job, even if it's one of the dysfunctional teams. The question is: what's this next coach stepping into, and what is his burden going to be? You got to get at least as far as Sean McDermott, or you're a failure, and you're expected to get farther than Sean McDermott because we've already established conclusively it's not an issue with the talent of the team.
Now we have ten job openings in all, four of which have been filled already, Mike. Your sense of the room read here based on your reporting and also talking to everyone, why have we seen So much. Turnover, including two guys, one who resigned and one who got fired, of 18 plus years of tenure. And I looked it up. Like, that's never happened in any North American sport.
You've never had in baseball. Basketball, NBA, or NHL, two coaches as tenured as Harbaugh and Tomlin not returned. in the same coaching cycle that's never happened. Why do you think this is happening? I think it's a combination of factors that led to a perfect storm as we were trying to map out where the vacancies would be beyond the two that came up during the season.
And there were only two. It seemed kind of light this year from interim coaching arrangements with the Titans and the Giants. As we got to week 18, the Raiders and the Browns were the two that everybody basically knew were coming. How many more beyond that? That was the question.
So you get some of these other arrangements. You're always going to have the cluster of bad teams that stay bad.
So they fire coaches every two or three years, and it's the usual suspects who are swinging back around looking for more coaches. But then you have the Harbaugh situation, Tomlin, McDermott on top of that. We get to this spot where there's 10 jobs to be filled. And so far, First-time head coaches, guys with no head coaching experience at the NFL or college level, are being shut out. And I wonder how long that trend will continue.
Because you do take a calculated risk when you take a guy who is X's and O's and you put him in charge of the team. And I think a lot of these teams see the benefit of finding someone who has shown he can be a head coach, college or pro, and be successful because it is a fundamentally different job.
So that's one of the things I'm watching as these next six get filled. How many first-time coaches are going to end up with the jobs? Yeah, I don't know. I guess who would be the non-first-time coach? head coach who could wind up with a job would be, I guess, obviously Mike McCarthy or anybody else that just got fired.
What are you hearing about the Steelers job search? Right. The Steelers are being very deliberate. They're casting a very broad net. They're turning over a lot of different stones.
And when you have nailed three straight coaching searches dating back to the first Nixon administration, probably the year the odd couple debuted in 1969. You have more pressure on you to get the next one right. And if they get this one right, the pressure is going to be. suffocating the next time around.
So Their pattern has been established. Even though it's only three hires, it's a 57-year trend. Defensive coordinator. First time head coach. That's why I've been paying attention to Chris Schuler.
It just makes sense on a bunch of different levels, including the fact. the Chuck Knoll fifteen days before he became The head coach of the Steelers. He coordinated the defense for the Baltimore Colts, who lost to your New York Jets in Super Bowl III. The head coach was Don Schula. Schula recommended Noel for the Steelers' job, and there's just a symmetry to all of that.
And the Steelers have a sense of history and connections, and it won't surprise me if Chris Schuler ends up getting that job. But, but, Are the Steelers going to go a different way? One thing to keep in mind: the NFL has changed dramatically since 2007 when they hired Tomlin. It's skewed even more toward offense and player safety. And will the Steelers believe that their past formula of a defensive coach needs to yield to what the rest of the league is doing?
Because when you look at the Steelers' offense, since Ben Rothsberger retired and they don't intend to be in a position to draft another franchise quarterback, they need to find a way to goose the offense.
So I really do think that they are looking anywhere and everywhere. And the problem with having a lot of great choices, and a lot of people who are going to want that job, because it's a desirable job, because they don't fire coaches. You ultimately got to make a decision. And that just adds even more stress to the situation. Do you think the Ravens are going to hire a similar Style of person, CEO, play caller, X's and O's, or maybe the person I always thought of was Minter.
Jesse Minter, because he's a harbaugh. You know, defensive-minded coach. They did have one of those already, a Mike McDonald. Look at what he's doing. He's two wins away from the Super Bowl.
They weren't going to. Keep him, and they certainly weren't going to fire John Harbaugh at the time because they were coming off of an AFC championship game appearance that didn't go their way. What do you think the Ravens' mindset is here, Mike? Hovering over the Ravens' coaching decision, I believe, is the tenuous relationship with Lamar Jackson. And it drives Ravens fans crazy when we talk about it.
But he's under contract for two more years. He's got a no-tag clause in addition to his no-trade clause, and they need to resolve. Whatever. This vibe is. It's just been there.
And one of the core problems is he's never had an agent, and communication can be a problem. It took them multiple years to work out his current contract. As of last year, he was ready for an adjustment. The market has changed, he deserves a new contract. Can they get something done?
And how will he feel? about who they hire. If it's an experienced head coach, With an offensive background, he may feel one way. If it's a first-time coach with a defensive background, he may feel differently. And Steve Baschotti, the owner of the team, talked last Tuesday at a press conference about.
Getting Lamar involved and how involved he'll be. And basically, and his quote was something along the lines of: hey, you better be ready to get your ass on a plane and go talk to these guys. How involved is he? There's been no reporting about how Lamar has been involved in this coaching search. I think how he feels.
And remember, the coaching search 2021. In Houston. You know, the lawsuits obscured all that. Deshaun Watson's relationship with the Texans became permanently fractured because he had ideas for Coach and GM and he believed they were ignored.
So I think that's a key fact that's kind of just there. And we'll see. The next big step in Baltimore is who do they hire? And I think there's a good chance Lamar is going to feel one way about an offensive coach who's been a head coach and a different way about a first-time coach from the defensive side of the ball. Yeah, I think you're also kind of previewing.
March madness in the NFL, Mike. Where you heard Joe Burrow opine about. Happiness. Right. You are referring to what's going on with Lamar.
And I'm just wondering if Matthew Stafford wins his next two games, what does he do in Los Angeles? Right? He's playing such a high level. He seems to be enjoying himself. I know I'm kind of kicking a.
Oh hornets nest here. But if there is This movement on the coaching carousel that is spinning in such a way that you and I have not seen in the last quarter century of covering this sport, right? What happens if there's a quarterback opening for Sean McVay? In Los Angeles. Who would be the ones to potentially affect their movement?
to be the next one there, you know? Oh, I see what you're saying. Before 2020. There weren't That cluster of veteran quarterbacks with starting experience that were readily available. Starting with the Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Drew Brees was a free agent.
He stayed in New Orleans for another year. But every year now, we have the coaching carousel that goes full speed. It winds to a stop and then We get to the quarterback carousel. Where you look at the teams that we know are going to be in the market for starters. We look at the teams that may end up looking for starters.
We look at situations like the Rams. They're on a year-to-year arrangement with Matthew Stafford. They've said that themselves.
Now they may feel differently, and they do have under contract for another year.
So they may be fine not going year-to-year. They may be fine with Stafford's contract as it is, and it is going to deserve an adjustment based upon what he's due to make in 26. But. The one team that I've been watching the most closely as it relates to Lamar Jackson, because when Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun had that column from last month that kind of started a little firestorm of discussion about the relationship between Lamar and the Ravens, he mentioned the Dolphins and the Raiders. The Dolphins can't do it with the two-a-contract and the cap consequences, but how about the Raiders?
They need something. They need to make a big swing. I saw that someone tweeted, who covers the Raiders, that their days of making big swings are over.
Well, when did their days of making big swings start? And more and more of this now is going to stick to Tom Brady. He's got to come do something. And that's what, like, and people get upset because we try to, you know, it's the old Gretzky thing: don't skate to where the puck is, skate to where you think the puck's going to be. I'm trying to skate to where I think the puck's going to be, and I'm trying to envision these possibilities.
We've already seen crazy beyond what we would have expected in the coaching cycle, so we've got to be ready for anything. But. Yeah, as I sit back and just watch and wait and wonder and monitor and The quarterback carousel starts to spin. Man, the Raiders making a call and dangling that first overall pick for Lamar Jackson. Wouldn't that be something if that happens?
No, for sure. And again, I mentioned Stafford just because I think he's. At the top of his game. He seems to love life right now. And there's no questions about his future for good reason.
because he's so awesome and the Rams can win it all with him. And um if they do, then it's his oyster. That's the football world, right? And same thing with the Rams. And if he decides to say, I want to go hang out with my beautiful family full-time now.
And that Because he was the first quarterback of that spinning carousel off of which every move was made last year. And I'm wondering if that might happen again. I'm trying to go where the puck is being skated, too, because who wouldn't want to be. Sean McVay's quarterback in the NFL. And look, last year.
And it all turned out to be a leverage play by Stafford, and I think it frustrated both the Giants and the Raiders, who are the two teams that were most aggressively pursuing Matthew Stafford when he had permission to seek a trade. And by the way, was that a good move by him or what, Mike? What do you think of what he eventually did? Yeah, it worked out well, but the Rams still got a deal. Like, he didn't squeeze all that much more out of the Rams by doing it.
But at the end of the day, The decision was made that he was never going to leave, and this was just about getting the best possible offer out of the Rams. But he was the guy that everyone was waiting on. And remember, last year, Plan B for Sean McVay. was Aaron Rodgers. And that would have been something.
And where would the Rams be this year with Aaron Rodgers and not Matthew Stafford? I don't know. But the Rams had their fallback plan in place. And once they finish their playoff run and they're going to have compressed time if they make it to the Super Bowl, job number one becomes this year to year thing with Stafford. Does he want to keep playing What does he want to be paid?
What do we want to do? Do we want to get a year or two ahead of a potential decline? He's shown no signs of one.
Now we went through four or five weeks. Before training camp and in the early weeks of training camp, wondering if he was going to be able to play at all this year because of a back issue that popped up between the offseason program and the start of camp. But he looks great. He keeps going. He's arguably better than he's ever been.
First time he's been a first-team all-pro. Potentially the NFL MVP. I think it would be craziness for the two sides to not keep going, but craziness is what's unfolded over the last two weeks.
So that's why we have to be ready for anything. That's part of the reason why I'm bringing it up here: dishing while waiting for football to be played this weekend. Before I let you go, your opinion. Uh and thoughts about Championship Sunday are what?
Well, what an opportunity for the Broncos. You know, coaches and players love to manufacture Disrespect and nobody believes in this. And they'll make it up Michael Jordan style if they have to. This is a perfect opportunity for the Broncos. Do they really lose a tremendous amount by going from Bo Nix to Jared Stidham?
I mean, they have a great defense. Nicks isn't flinging it around like Stafford. Nothing against Bo Nicks. He's not to where he eventually will be as a student. Of Sean Payton.
And Jared Stedham's been with Payton. A year longer. Than Bo Nicks. And if Peyton didn't think Stidham could do it, he wouldn't have been the guy one snap away from becoming the quarterback. I think Peyton loves the fact that they're five and a half point underdogs.
I think he loves the fact that everybody's graphic, when it's time to do the pregame shows, anywhere and everywhere, it's going to be Patriots, Patriots, Patriots, Patriots, Patriots. Nobody's going to pick the Broncos to win the game.
So it just plays into their hands. And the Patriots all time in Denver in the postseason, 0-4, 0-3 during the Belichick and Brady years, three times with one of the great teams we've ever seen over a 20-year span. Three times they went to Denver and lost in the playoffs.
So I think that that game is not nearly the guinea putt that Patriots fans may be thinking. And the other game, hell, get your popcorn and hope for a repeat of the week 16 Thursday night back and forth game. And the Rams gained 581 yards against the Seahawks that night. That defense right now looks a little bit better. I don't think they're going to get 581 this time, but man, that's the game that.
The moment it happened, the moment it ended, I think we all said we want to see that one again. Creator and editor-in-chief of Pro Football Talk PFT Live, the podcast version as well. Mike, appreciate the time, brother. Thank you. Thanks, Rich.
Good talking to you. Right back, catch you. That's Mike Florio sending him back to Peacock and BC. And BC. As he's going to be part and parcel of the Super Bowl 60 coverage, there, no doubt.
Can't wait to see his mic brought up there, by the way. Can't wait to see what? His dance moves. What do you mean? Oh, you never see them.
You don't see them on Instagram? Maria Taylor always posts all of them dancing. And breaks. Yeah. Got it.
And Mike brought up some interesting things there that Chris and I kind of looked at each other and went, Okay, let's take a break and unpack that, shall we? Let's do that. Before Bob Kostas joins us. to talk about The Yankees' latest move, or first move, I guess. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast.
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That's 562-314-4603. Oh boy. And 844204 Rich is the number to tell. That Mike McDaniel soundbite where him actually doing all the coach coaching clichés we asked of him.
Next level, right, guys? Anything? Pretty great. The fact that we offered it to him and then he did it he was receptive. And then executed it.
No doubt. No doubt. Um there are life goals, gentlemen. Oh. How's that for a start?
Yeah, yeah. You don't know where I'm going with this, do you? What life goals going there? Life goals It is to get to the point in life where you are out of F's to give. Yep.
That you've reached a certain age. And you're able to pull something off that no one else can. It doesn't matter if somebody snaps a photograph of you doing it. And that particular instance occurred right here in Southern California, Los Angeles, California. When William Shatner went boldly where few have gone before, which is behind the wheel of a car, stopping at a red light and eating a bowl of cereal.
TMZ snapped this or got a picture of it. I mean, this is fantastic. I can't respect this move more. You know what I'm saying? I knew bringing this up would be.
Something you'd appreciate, Chris, because I think you're the leader in cereal eating of the Rich Island Show crew. I love consuming cereal. I like doing it pretty much anywhere. How about have you ever attempted it? It's a full bowl and spoon situation.
It's not like one of those disposable cups. Like he brought a bowl out of his house. Yep. Pour to e bowl of cereal. Full for himself, brought a metal spoon.
It's not like a plastic spoon or one of those things that you can get anywhere. This is a full-on breakfast he's having at a red light. And let me just explain to people nationally. A red light here in Los Angeles could be like a 20, 30 card deep situation. Oh, yeah.
You could have a, you could have finished the entire bowl. Oh, yeah, yeah. Inching his way to the light at what, at like La Cienega and Chusa. Choose or sepulva and choose any intersection. You're trying to go left?
Oh, if you're trying to go left, you'll be there for several hours. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You can finish a steak. I've done something similar before. I've done this.
I've had full-on bowl and car before. You have. The only thing I'm more concerned about this is not the eating. That I think is the safest part. What is it?
It's a 94-year-old man driving himself. Oh, stop it. Don't be aegis. Don't be aegis. Chris, you should just appreciate that a man is eating cereal the way a man can eat cereal if you are William Shackner.
Okay, going boldly. Is what he's doing. Warp speed, sir, is all I'm saying. This is next level. Can we get a zoom?
It's a flake situation. It's a flake situation. It looks like a brand. It looks like a brand. So he's taking care of itself.
It's filled. Oh, by the way, that looks, there's got to be milk in it, too, which is icy. I mean, you're like, this is, this is like your shields are down. The shields are down. Full impulse power from the car in front of you and you're in trouble.
Now, the only thing, you know what I mean? I don't see any milk dripping from the spoon. Because he's Captain Kirk, man. Have you seen the way he's able to balance on that? Yeah, but he can't stop gravity.
Milk is going to drop. That looks good. Haven't you seen his balance powers? Is Captain James Tiberius Kirk? Captain James Kirk.
He's going to spit it. This is no Kobayashi Maru. He's got the answers to the test two here. Yep. Which doesn't make sense because he did have the answers to the test on that one.
Let me just talk about this. This is great. He is not sabotaging the traffic. No, he doesn't say sabotage. Sabotage.
You say Saba. That's my bad. He's not sabotaging the traffic patterns. You say sabotage. I saw this.
I'm like, I got to talk about this. I mean, this is great. I'm expecting a next level very soon from Susie to tell us that something because it seems like this is like a Susie thing. No, it's not. No?
No, I saw this. I don't think. She wouldn't condone cereal to eat it behind the cell. No, no, okay, because you know. It's a hands-free situation right there.
He's hands-free.
Well, she's hands-free when she drives. Maybe he's in like a self-driving car. Oh, oh, okay. Oh, okay.
So maybe he told Sulu and Chekhov, you have to come. I'm eating cereal. Damn it, Jack. What if that happened in an episode of Star Trek where he's just like, you know what? You have the calm.
Spock, you take it over. I've got to have my raisin bracket. Damn it, Jim. I'm a doctor, not a chauffeur. I've got to have my raisin brand.
William Shatner, everybody. You go boat, Lucy. Legend.
Well done. Legend.
Legend.
Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
